Forgotten Birthday
by Tri17
Summary: FE6 ClarinexRutger It's Clarine's birthday, but celebrating it during the war has seemed to cause everyone to forget about it. Even her own brother! However, one man does seem to remember. And Rutger will give her a gift she'd never expect.


A new ClarinexRutger oneshot! Actually, this one, I believe I wrote it almost a year ago, maybe? It was a long time ago so if the story doesn't flow good and isn't too good, it's because it's older. I haven't had enough time to finish my newer ClarinexRutger oneshots, but I am working on them!

Oh, and for a disclaimer, I don't own Fire Emblem or its characters.

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

* * *

**Forgotten Birthday**

Tri17

Clarine was a Reglay. Her father used to be the Mage General of Etruria (which was the same as the Sorcery General, except in a mage form), her mother was a distant cousin of the previous queen of Bern, her family were personal friends of the king and prince. They were the top of Etrurian Society.

So why did everyone forget her birthday?

At home, everyone would have thrown a big celebration. She would have gotten a feast with the king and prince, her family, and the Generals. They would have brought her beautiful presents, like new dresses, gloves, jewelry, and just absolutely gorgeous things that no peasant could _ever_ afford.

But here, in this dismal place, Clarine didn't even get a "happy birthday". Even her own brother had forgotten her birthday! And today she was turning fourteen.

Tears in her eyes at her unfortunate situation, Clarine retreated to her tent. There was no point in reminding her brother what today was. He would just shake his head, say he was sorry, and pet her head. Clarine would get no gifts this year, no feasts, no celebrations.

Placing her face in her pillow, Clarine wailed. She wanted to go _home_! She wanted to be beside her parents. She wanted to be back in the Etrurian Nobility. She wanted this war to be over. She wanted her old life back. She was tired of being dirty all the time, of living in fear all the time, of casting magic spells and healing spells on everyone, of working so hard every day! She was fourteen for goodness sakes! She needed to be home, relaxing and being an Etrurian noble woman. Not a war Valkyrie.

This was not fit for a lady of her status.

_But mother did this._

_So? She's much different than I._

_And she was much older, too._

Clarine sobbed louder, not hearing her tent flap being opened. She didn't look up until someone sat on her bed. It was Rutger.

_Wait. Rutger?_

Clarine rubbed her tear-filled eyes, trying to make sure that the image of the man in front of her was actually Rutger. And it was.

Rutger. One of the only people she really liked in this entire camp. Lilina, Fir, Dorothy, Tate, Klein, Lance, and Rutger were the only people Clarine had become friends with and really liked. Well, she did like the Etrurian Generals (Percival, Douglas, and Cecilia) and also the "bard" Elphin (who was really Prince Mildain).

Rutger, though, was the one person that Clarine truly cared for. He was her partner in battle, he was her savior in many ways, and he was the one that she had fallen head-over-heels in love with. But of course, she wasn't too stuck-up and arrogant to realize that Rutger didn't share any of the same feelings for her. Clarine knew they were only friends. But that was alright. Because after months and months of being in a war, always fighting beside Rutger, Clarine had realized that she would be alright as long as he was her friend. As long as he liked her.

Though, she wouldn't mind though if the 20 year old had some type of feelings for her. After all, Clarine admitted, that she wouldn't mind having her first kiss taken by Rutger. He was very handsome. And intelligent. A bit too stuck on revenge, but Clarine could overlook that. And he was rather grumpy, but still, he was good once she got to know him.

But, back to what he was doing in her tent. He was staring at her, watching her wipe her face with her sleeves. He wasn't saying anything.

"What?" Clarine finally snapped, angry that someone had caught her crying, and bitter that everyone had forgotten her birthday.

"I heard you," Rutger finally said. "You didn't sound good. I thought I'd check on you. Why were you crying?" Clarine looked away, her shoulders slumping.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it," she told him, her voice strained. Her brother had forgotten her birthday. Of course she was crying. Her brother was her hero and he forgot one of the most important days in the year.

"Your brother has been looking for you," Rutger told her casually. "He has a birthday gift for you. A lot of your friends do." Clarine's head shot up.

"T-they remembered?" she asked, blinking. Rutger smirked slightly.

"Yeah. Everyone did. A lot of people are wondering where you went. No one bothered to look in your tent, though. They were going to have a celebration for you." Clarine sniffed, thinking. They really hadn't forgotten about her birthday like she had thought.

"Is that why you were crying?" Rutger finally asked. "Because you thought no one remembered your birthday?" Clarine pursed her lips, turning away from him. "Huh. I guess that means yes." Clarine sniffed again.

"Well..." Rutger began, facing her, "I want to give you something." Clarine whipped her head around to look at him. Her eyes were suddenly tear free.

"What?" Clarine's voice was excited; a childish, impatient voice. It made Rutger grin. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a necklace. It was a small pink heart on a silver chain.

"Happy fourteenth birthday, Clarine." He handed her the necklace, watching her eyes light up. Leaning down towards the unsuspecting girl, he tipped her head up, kissing her. Her face was shocked, he saw, but Rutger really didn't care. His feelings for Clarine had developed well past friendship during the past few months. Day after day they were beside each other on the battlefield, protecting and fighting for each other. She was a beautiful young girl, nice and caring when she wasn't in a bad mood. And she had sacrificed a lot to be in the war.

Besides that, her actions made Rutger laugh often.

And before he had known it, he had developed some type of feeling for her. Some type of strong, non-friendship feelings. Feelings that made his hormones rage like a sixteen year old boy, feelings that made him want to kill anyone who even looked at her in any type of beyond-friendship way, feelings that made his want to slaughter someone who even touched her with the intent to kill her. These feelings were no longer in his control, though, as soon as his lips touched hers.

Because finally, Rutger realized that he needed Clarine.

Just as much as Clarine needed Rutger.

Her lips were soft, Rutger noted. Vanilla tasting.

Clarine realized that Rutger's lips, though they looked rather rough, were actually tender and comforting. He had a spicy taste to him, cinnamon, Clarine couldn't help but thinking.

Rutger pinned her on the bed, his fingers slipping into her silky tresses. She really did spend a lot of time on her hair. Clarine wrapped her baby-soft hands around his neck, her fingers creeping into his own hair. As their lips slanted and molded with one another's, they clung to each other, tighter and tighter.

Suddenly, though, Rutger backed off of her, moving back to sit on the bed. Clarine sat up, dazed and confused. Why had he stopped? Rutger looked at her, then looked away, picking up the discarded necklace. He held it out to her wordlessly.

Clarine took it, clutching it to her chest.

"What does this mean?" she finally asked. "...What..." she trailed off, seeing Rutger still looking away from her. "I'm so confused." Did he like her? Was he going to come back with her?

"I don't know," he finally answered. "I don't know what... just... happened," he was trembling. Fear? Anger? Sadness? Clarine couldn't tell. "...I want to say it doesn't mean anything. But we both know that the kiss meant something. It meant a lot of things. But what will happen after the kiss... I'm not sure." He closed his eyes. "We're something that can never be. I'm nothing more than a peasant; you're practically the princess of Etruria." Clarine looked away.

"I know that. I'm not foolish. I know that my society could never approve of any relationship between the two of us. I know that. But I know that I don't want to... leave you. I love you," she told him, tightening her hold on the necklace. The heart bit into her skin, leaving an imprint.

"Clarine, you're fourteen. Barely fourteen. How could you... know what love is?" Rutger shook his head. "I don't even know."

"It has to be love," she told him, biting her lip. "I'd do anything for you. I'd die for you. I know I would because I've been ready to do it before. Rutger... I'd give you everything I could." Rutger sighed, looking away from the girl.

"Even your old life?" he asked her. "Could you give up your birthright to come live with me? Could you give up everything you've ever had to stay with me forever?" Clarine flinched, having never thought of that.

She had always thought that they would go back to Etruria. That he would become a noble, like she was. Clarine had always pictured her future in Etruria. Not living on the plains with Rutger.

"I-I'm not sure," she answered. Could she give everything up? Could she give up her family, her wealth, her pride, her teachings, and everything she'd ever had? All for one man? Clarine trembled thinking about it.

"You know, as well as I do, that that would be the only way we could be together. I have no place in Etruria. I never will. I could never be a noble. It's impossible. You know that." Clarine looked down to her bed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I... don't want to leave you," she said, finally. "I want to be with you forever... but..." She couldn't do it. Clarine knew she could never give up her homeland, her family, and her status. As impossible it was for Rutger to become a noble, it was just as impossible for Clarine to become a peasant.

"You're missing your celebration," Rutger said, understanding what Clarine could not say. "You shouldn't keep them waiting any longer." With that, Rutger walked out of her tent.

Clarine felt tears gather in her eyes. No one had forgotten her birthday, but after that...

She sort of wish they all had.

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I'm not really sure how much I like this story. It's just... I don't know. But, it does have some nice RutgerxClarine moments in the middle, so that's good enough for me. I'm hoping to write a better ClarinexRutger oneshot to post later on, though.

Thanks for reading!


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